Automatically-controlled valve



Aug. 12 1924.

w. KLEIN AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE Filed March 22 1921 INVENTOR. E WK 1.15m

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A TTORN E Y5 Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

- UNITED STATES EDWARD WILLIAM KLEIN, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

AUTOMATICALLY-CONTROLLED VALVE.

Application filed March 22, 1921. Serial No. 454,441.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD WILLIAM KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residingat Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatically- Controlled Valves; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. This invention relates to new and useful improvements in thermostatically controlled valves and is particularly adapted for use with steam or other condensable vapors, the main object of the present invention being the provision of a thermostatically controlled valve for regulating the'inlet'of steam to a radiator or other similar heating element.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a device of the above character whereby the temperature in the room in which the device is located will operate a thermostat and open and close the valve in accordance with the temperature of the room, it being understood that when the room is heated to a designated degree, the thermostatic control will prevent the pas-- sage of steam from the main supply to the heating element and when the temperature drops to a certain degree, the passage-way will be opened.

-With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more full set forth, pointed out in the claims and s own in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved valve, parts of the same be ing shown in elevation, and

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the aux-' iliary valve casing, showing the means for indicating the position of the main valve.

Referrlng more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the valve body which in the present instance is shown as a T, one end of the cross portion being threaded onto the supply pipe 2 and provided upon its interior with a valve seat 3:

The stem portion of the T is threaded into the coupling sleeve 4 which connects the valve body with the inlet pipe 5 of the radiator 6, thus establishing a direct communication between the supply pipe 2 and the Extending upwardly from the bottom portion 10 is an externally threaded stem 12 provided with a cavity 13 in which suitable packing is arranged, said packing being retained in position by means of the retainer 14 and the closure cap 15 which engages over the retainer 14 and the stem 12 and is threaded onto the stem as clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

Extending upwardly through the stem 12, stuffing box 13, retainer 14 and cap 15 is a hollow valve stem 16 to the lower end of which is secured a valve member 17 adapted to seat upon the valve seat 3.

The top portion 18 of the vacuum chamber 7 comprises a spider provided with the angular flange 19 adapted to be arranged upon the flange 8 of the body of the vacuum chamber and secured thereto by means of the screw bolts 20, although it may be understood that other suitable fastening means may be used. Arranged within the vacuum chamber is a flexible diaphragm 21, the circumferential edges of which are arranged between the two flanges 8 and 20 of the body of the vacuum chamber and its top respectively and retained in positlon by means of the bolts 20. Secured to this flexible diaphragm at the central portion thereof are the follower plates 22 and 23. The plate 22 is threaded upon the upper end of the stem'16 and arranged upon the lower side of the diaphragm 21. The late 23 isarranged upon the upper face 0 the diaphragm and not attached to the valve stem. These two lates 22 and 23 are connected together an to the diaphragm 21 by means of the screw bolts 24 so that the upward and downward movement of the diaphragm will move the valve stems 16 accordingly.

The outer end of the valve stem 16 which passes freely throu h a suitable aperture in the top 18, is threa ed into an electromagnet which is illustrated in the present form as in the shape of a central cylinder 25 having annular flanges 26 at each end thereof and mounted upon the flanges around the body portion 25 is a solenoid.

It will be noted that the bore of the valve stem 16 is considerably reduced at its upper end and movable therein is a valve stem 28 connected at its lower end to a valve 29,

- while the upper end is connected to the armature 30 whereby when the solenoid 27 is energized, this armature 30 will be drawn upwardly against the tension of the coil spring 31 which is disposed between the magnet and the top of the solenoid spool so as to move the valve member 29 upwardly into the seat 32 which will prevent the passage of steam upwardly through the restricted bore of the valve stem 16, but when the solenoid 27 is de-energized, the armature 30 will be forced downwardly by means of the coil spring 31 so that the valve member 29 will be unseated and permit the passage of steam up through the reduced portion of the opening in the stem 16.

It will be noted that communication is established between the valve stem 16 above the valve 29 and the vacuum chamber by means of a transverse opening 33 which forms a direct communication between the supply pipe 2 and the vacuum chamber so that when the valve 29 is opened, the vacuum chamber will be filled and a steam pressure created whereby to raise the diaphragm 21 to a position flush against the lower face of the top 18.

In order to assist the steam in raising the diaphragm 21 a suitable coil spring 34 is arranged between the cap member 15 and the plate 22, said coil spring surrounding the valve stem 16 and normally exerting its pressure against the diaphragm 21.

In order to energize the solenoid 27 at a predetermined temperature, a thermostat is located withinthe room the temperature of which is to be controlled and adapted to be operated when the temperature reaches a certain degree. This thermostat in the pres ent mstance includes a flexible arm 35 having a connection" at 36 to a source of current supply while the other end is disposed adacent a contact point 37, the contact point being connected by means of a wire 38 to solenoid 27, which is also connected, a wire 39 is attached to. the body 25 and extended to the source of current supply so that when the arm 35 is brought into contact with the point 37, a complete circuit will have been established.

In Figure 1 I have illustrated the valve v members in an open position, so that the steam or other heating vapor will readily pass from the supply pipe 2'1nto the radiator or other heating element 6. When the temperature wlthin the room in which the ther-' mostat 18 located, reaches a certain degree,

the temperature of the room will fall,

main supply pipe 2 and the radiator 6.

When the temperature in the room rises to a certain degree, it will be noted that the valve member 29 is seated to close communication between the supply pipe 2 and the vacuum chamber thus permitting the steam within the vacuum chamber to condense and allow the diaphragm 21 to drop downwardly. This operation will be carried out through atmospheric ressure operatmg on the upper side of the exible diaphragm as it will be understood that the cover plate 18 is of open-work design to permit the atmospheric pressure to act upon the flexible diaphragm 21. After the steam has con densed within the vacuum chamber 7 the condensation will run off through a tubular stem 40 which is connected with the bottom portion 10 of the chamber. Attached to the lower end of this stem 40 is a supporting bracket 41 adapted to support a spider valve 42 which when the vacuum is created within the chamber 7 will be drawn to its closed position, as illustrated in Figure 1 to prevent the entrance of steam at this point, but after the steam has been again turned on and the vacuum reduced, the valve member 42 will drop downwardly on to the supporting arms of the member 41 and allow the condensed steam to run 011' from the vacuum chamber.

The operation of the device after the steam has been cut off as previously described is as follows: The steam being off 0 erating through the thermostat to break the circuit through solenoid 27 thus permitting spring 31 to unseat valve 29, which will in turn permit the passage of steam from pipe 2 through valve stem 16 into the vacuum chamber again elevating diaphragm 21 and unseating valve 17 to permit the passage of steam to the radiator. As these operations will follow quite rapidly following slight variations of the temperature from the operating temperature fixed for the thermostat, it will be obvious that with this device a nearly constant temperature can be readily maintained as desired.

It is preferred to have the magnet enclosed within a suitable casing 43 and in orderto determine whether or not the main valve member is open or closed, an indicab ing pointer 44 is attached to the magnet 30 and movable through a slot 45 in the cas ing 43 so that when the magnet 30 is drawn upwardly in the body 25 to cut off the supply of steam to the vacuum chamber, and permit the main valve 17 to be reseated, the indicating pointer 44 will designate to the operator that the valve is closed, but when the magnet 30 is in its lowered position, and the main valve member 17 open the indicating pointer 44 will designate that the valve is open, this feature being clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, valve means controlling the passage between said openings, a vacuum chamber having a wall formed of a flexible diaphragm, said diaphragm connected with a hollow valve stem secured to the valve first mentioned, said hollow valve stem constituting a passage between the inlet side of said valve and the vacuumv chamber, spring means operating to extend the diaphragm and lift the first-mentioned valve, valve means between the vacuum chamber and the passage between the inlet and outlet openings to permit the drawing off of condensations from said chamber, and valve means in said valve stem passage controlling the same.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, valve means controlling the passage between said openings, a vacuum chamber having a wall formed of a flexible diaphragm, said diaphragm connected with a hollow valve stem secured to the valve first mentioned, said hollow valve stem constituting a passage between the inlet side of said valve and the vacuum chamber, spring means operating to extend the diaphragm and lift the first mentioned valve, valve means between the vacuum chamber and the passage between the inlet and outlet openings to permit the drawing off of condensations from said chamber, valve means in said valve stem passage controlling the same, and means for operating said last mentioned valve comprising a solenoid mounted on said hollow valve stem having an armature, said armature operatively connected with said last mentioned valve, and spring means operative on said armature to normally maintain the passage controlling valve open.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD WILLIAM KLEIN. Witnesses.

J. J. LEE, G. E. DILLMAN. 

